This site is focused on providing information for expats looking for information about living in, or buying real estate in, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The information may also be useful to others looking at living in Johor Bahru.

Johor Bahru offers many great food options. There are many cheap, great street side restaurants. Many of these small restaurants serve Malaysian, Chinese or India food. Often the price is RM 5-8 for a good sized meal, with drink about RM 10 and the food is good (under US$4). Just picking a random one normally provides good food. The biggest drawback, for me, and I am sure some others (some expats probably) is eating outside. I don’t like doing that in general and if I am already hot from walking around on a hot day I like it even less.

There are several good small restaurants at the bottom level of Danga City Mall, which are excellent and inside and I like the food court in the Galleria at Kotaraya too. Under RM 10 for many meals.

Most restaurants will cost under 35 MYR including everything (~US$10) but a few of the fancier ones are more expensive, still normally under 70 MYR unless you splurge on the most expensive items.

Most of the restaurants I review here have indoor seating with air conditioning – though not all. Some restaurants offer delivery, but not many. Recently FoodPanda has started business offering delivery from quite a diverse selection of restaurants (I indicate below those that have delivery) which makes me quite happy.

Enjoy,

Downtown JB (CBD)

• Chez Papa, Central Business District (CBD) – great French food, atmosphere and service about RM 60 for a meal.
• The Village Briyani Cafe – great Indian food about RM 20-30 for a meal.
• Ajisai Japanese Restaurant, CBD, Tamen Pelangi
• Tera Thai Restaurant, CBD area, Taman Bahru, 80100
• Village Countryside Cuisine (Indian)
• Sweetwater, CBD, Taman Pelangi, Mediterranean, delivery
• Rong Hwa (Chinese – delivery)
• Furusato Japanese Restaurant, Taman Pelangi
• Rosmarino Italian Restaurant, CBD, Taman Pelangi
• Chakra Restaurant, CBD, Indian is my favorite cuisine
• Gianni’s Trattoria (Italian), CBD (two doors down from Sweetwater in Taman Pelangi – the same owner), there is also a branch in Permas Jaya.
• The Grand Gem, CBD, Indian, in the Blue Wave Hotel
• Tandoori Mahal, near Danga City Mall, Indian (Punjabi)
• JB Station Kopitiam, Danga City Mall, CBD – Malaysian
• Carabao Thai Restaurant, CBD, next to New York Hotel
• Arabian Nights, Plaza Pelangi, middle eastern

Old Town, CBD

• Annalakshmi, Indian, vegetarian, Old Town.
• Food Court in Galleria at Kotaraya (Malaysian food – Laksa etc.), near Old Town. There is also a middle eastern restaurant on the first floor on the other side of the mall from the food court. And a hamburger place on the 2nd floor along with several other fast food chains.
• Red Tro Cafe, Galleria at Kotaraya, Malaysian (near Old Town)
• Kedai Makanan Dan Minuman Seng Huat
• Sala Huddin Bakery, Old Town
• Hiap Joo Bakery, Old Town

Permas Jaya

• Qi Bakery, Permas Jaya area (my favorite bakery)
• Grandma’s House (Thai)
• Umatei Sushi Restaurant
• Seafood, Permas Jaya

Bukit Indah

• The Spice Kitchen, Bukit Indah (near Sky Executive Suites), very good

More

• Eight Lido, Jalan Skudai, Spanish
• 7 Spice (Indian), Danga Bay

Grocery
I like Jusco best for buying food. They have very good fresh vegetable selection and good prices. Tesco is decent but the fresh vegetables haven’t been nearly as good as Jusco, prices are higher, and service is worse. Cold Storage is expensive and the store is fairly small (so selection is not great) in the one I have tried (in Plaza Pelangi). Carefour is decent, I would put Tesco and Carefour below Jusco and a bit above Cold Storage.

There is a Sunday night market in Permas Jaya (where Straits View Condos are located) that is very nice and has lots of food to buy. There is also a market outside the Carefour (near Molek Pine condo) that offers a great selection of food (I am not sure exactly when that is in operation – every day?).